The evidence is growing that diabetes—especially “late onset” type 2 diabetes—is becoming an epidemic.  Americans’ well-known attachment to the ‘couch potato’ lifestyle—fatty, high calorie foods and an aversion to exercise—may be contributing to the spread of the disease.  On the opposite side of the coin, the healthy lifestyle is believed to contribute to diabetes prevention or management.

A recent article in the New York Times (January 9, 2006) explored the terrible damage that the diabetes epidemic has caused, both now and for the future.  In an in-depth piece of journalism, writer N.R. Kleinfield revealed that more than one in eight New Yorkers now suffers from diabetes, higher than the national rate.  And it’s just going to get worse, as the rate of diabetes is increasing, while illnesses like heart disease and cancer are in decline.  Why New York?  As the largest city in the nation, it includes high-risk communities of poor and obese people -- tragically, two of the keys to developing diabetes and both of which are linked to poor lifestyle choices.

As goes New York, so goes the US.  NYC, like the rest of the country, exists in a generally unhealthy culture that promotes a sedentary lifestyle along with the overeating of foods high in sugar and fat -- perfect conditions for an outbreak of diabetes – and the exact opposite of the healthy lifestyle prescription for a nutritious, low calorie diet and lots of exercise.  In fact, the American Diabetes Association indicates that the illness could actually lower the life expectancy of the average citizen for the first time in over a hundred years.  A chronic and often deadly disease, diabetes cannot be cured and is often the root cause of myriad other medical problems that may last for a lifetime.  The only good options are diabetes prevention or diabetes management once the disease is contracted.

The Times article goes on to say that the Centers for Disease Control estimate that 21 million Americans are currently diabetic while 41 million more are suffering from pre-diabetic symptoms, and many aren’t even aware of it yet.  Over the past decade, the rate of diabetes has increased 80% in the US.  Yet many health officials still emphasize the threat of communicable diseases, which are far less deadly than chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to create or use the hormone insulin to regulate the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.  Glucose, an energy source, then rises to dangerous levels in the blood and is unable to be used as fuel for the body’s cells.  Of the two kinds of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, more than 90% of diabetics suffer from the latter.  Though both kinds are believed to have a genetic aspect, diabetes prevention through healthy eating and exercise will most likely help prevent Type 2.  For people predisposed to diabetes, obesity seems to pave the way to developing the disease.

As Kleinfield reports, the ailments stemming from diabetes are often worse than the disease itself.  The CDC states that diabetics are more likely than non-diabetics to die from flu or pneumonia.   They also have a greater chance of suffering from heart disease or stroke.  Bad circulation and nervous system problems in diabetics lead to frequent amputations of the feet and legs and even permanent blindness.  So, diabetes itself is often just the tip of the iceberg.

While some diabetics blame their genes, most scientific research points to lifestyle (poor nutritional and exercise habits) and demographics (an aging and risky populace).  A federal study concluded that nearly 60% of new cases could be delayed or prevented by exercise and weight loss.  It’s not just the quality of life, but also the quantity that can be helped -- diabetes cuts up to 10 years off the usual life expectancy.  

In New York, diabetes is fast becoming a crisis, and soon the rest of the country, if not the world, will be touched by it as well.  It’s not too late, however -- the key to fighting the epidemic is a healthy lifestyle.